Latest news with #consulates
Washington Post
18-06-2025
- Politics
- Washington Post
State Dept. restarts student visa interviews with tougher social media rules
The State Department is restarting interviews for new student visas and installing stricter social media guidelines, including a requirement that all applicants have their accounts set to public to be scrutinized for hostility toward the United States, according to a State Department cable sent to embassies and consulates Wednesday and obtained by The Washington Post.
CNN
18-06-2025
- Politics
- CNN
US embassies must vet students for ‘hostile attitudes' but can resume visa appointments, State Department says
The US State Department told embassies and consulates they must vet student visa applicants for 'hostile attitudes towards our citizens, culture, government, institutions, or founding principles' but said they may resume appointments that were paused in late May. The new guidance was sent to US diplomatic posts worldwide in a cable seen by CNN Wednesday. It comes as the Trump administration has taken significant actions that are likely to deter international students from coming to the US. It has aggressively revoked student visas and specifically targeted Harvard University. The latest guidance 'requires consular officers to conduct a comprehensive and thorough vetting of all FMJ applicants, including online presence, to identify applicants who bear hostile attitudes towards our citizens, culture, government, institutions, or founding principles; who advocate for, aid, or support designated terrorists and other threats to U.S. national security; or who perpetrate unlawful antisemitic harassment or violence,' according to the cable. The guidance, which applies to both new and returning applicants for student and exchange visas, formally known as F, M, and J visas, calls for 'a review of the applicant's entire online presence – not just social media activity – using any appropriate search engines or other online resources,' including 'a check of any databases to which the consular section has access.' The guidance, first reported by the Free Press, does not give details of what constitutes 'hostile attitudes towards our citizens, culture, government, institutions, or founding principles.' The cable says embassies and consulates should implement the new vetting within five business days. They 'should resume scheduling FMJ appointments but should consider the effect of this guidance on workload and schedule accordingly.' They should prioritize expedited visa appointment requests for 'J-1 physicians (and) F-1 students seeking to study at a U.S. university where international students constitute 15 percent or less of the total student population, according to the U.S. Department of Education.' The new vetting, the cable states, is being implemented to ensure 'that aliens seeking admission to the United States are screened and vetted to the maximum extent possible and that they will respect the terms of their admission to the United States.' It notes that such vetting is particularly important for these applicants, noting that 'the FBI has long warned that foreign powers seek access to American higher education institutions to, among other things, steal technical information, exploit U.S. research and development, and spread false information for political or other reasons.' Applicants will be asked to set their social media profiles to public, and the cable says consular officers should 'remind the applicant that limited access to, or visibility of, online presence could be construed as an effort to evade or hide certain activity.' 'During the vetting, you simply are looking for any potentially derogatory information about the applicant,' the cable instructs consular officers, and says they should screenshot relevant online findings. Even if the 'inconsistencies or potentially derogatory information' does not rise to the level of ineligibility for a visa, 'you must consider whether they undermine the applicant's credibility or suggest that the applicant will not respect the terms of his admission to the United States.' 'For applicants who demonstrate a history of political activism, especially when it is associated with violence or with the views and activities described above, you must consider the likelihood they would continue such activity in the United States and, if so, whether such activity is consistent with the nonimmigrant visa classification they seek,' the cable notes. 'As Secretary Rubio has said, we do not seek to import activists who will disrupt and undermine scholarly activity at U.S. universities.'
CBS News
30-05-2025
- Politics
- CBS News
Trump's State Department orders "additional vetting" for anyone wanting to come to Harvard
The State Department has told U.S. embassies and consulates to expand vetting for all visa applicants who wish to come to Harvard University, including visitors as well as students, according to an email obtained by CBS News. In an internal email dated May 29 and sent by Secretary of State Marco Rubio's office to all U.S. diplomatic and consular posts, consular officers were told that this "additional vetting" applies to anyone wanting a visa to come to Harvard for "any purpose." That includes current or prospective students, faculty, employees, contractors, guest speakers and even tourists, per the email. The email told consular officers to "conduct a complete screening of the online presence of any nonimmigrant visa applicant seeking to travel to Harvard University for any purpose." Officers should also "consider whether the lack of any online presence, or having social media accounts restricted to "private" or with limited visibility, may be reflective of evasiveness and call into question the applicant's credibility." The email said consular officers can also request applicants to set their social media accounts to "public" for vetting purposes. Notably, the email states that the new vetting procedure for Harvard will also serve as a "pilot for expanded screening and vetting" of visa applicants "generally," including for student visas. The State Department "may announce similar measures for other groups of visa applicants as appropriate, and in accordance with U.S. law". A source familiar with the email who was granted anonymity to speak freely told CBS news that it will likely be difficult to implement the vetting instructions uniformly across all US consular sections around the world, and for all universities assuming this pilot process gets expanded to foreign applicants for other U.S. universities. Earlier this week, the State Department told embassies it was preparing for "expanded social media vetting" of student visa applicants, according to a cable obtained by CBS News. The department ordered a halt to new student visa appointments in the interim. "We take very seriously the process of vetting who it is that comes into the country, and we're going to continue to do that," State Department spokesperson Tammy Bruce said in response to the visa appointment freeze earlier this week. The stricter vetting procedure now targeting America's leading global university is the result of two executive orders signed by President Trump: One that directed more vetting for visas, and one calling for a crackdown on antisemitism, per the email. The email cited "information identified by the Department of Homeland Security" as apparently giving evidence that Harvard University has "failed to maintain a campus environment free from violence and anti-Semitism." Asked for comment regarding the expanded vetting instructions for Harvard-related visas, a State Department spokesperson told CBS News, "The Department of State does not comment on its internal documents or communications." CBS News also asked the State Department why it has singled out Harvard for additional vetting. The Trump administration has taken aim at Harvard in recent weeks, accusing it of failing to respond to what it views as rampant antisemitic activity on campus. Last week, the administration sought to take away Harvard's ability to enroll foreign students — a significant threat for a school where just over one in four students are international. The order was blocked by a judge following a lawsuit from Harvard. The Trump administration has also frozen federal funding to the Ivy League school. Meanwhile, the Trump administration tried to revoke the student visa status of thousands of international students, many of whom appeared to draw the government's attention due to minor legal infractions. That policy was halted by a judge. Rubio said Wednesday the State Department will "aggressively revoke" visas for some Chinese international students, including those studying in "critical fields" and people with links to the Chinese Communist Party. China's embassy in the U.S. called the move "politically motivated and discriminatory." And some international students who participated in pro-Palestinian protests have faced detention, under a law allowing the government to revoke visas for anyone deemed to pose "adverse foreign policy consequences." When asked by reporters Friday whether he supports international students studying in the U.S., Mr. Trump said he does: "We want to have great students here, we just don't want students that are causing trouble." "I don't think Harvard's been acting very nicely," Mr. Trump said, reiterating his call to redirect funds from Harvard to trade schools. "Harvard's trying to be a big shot."
The Guardian
30-05-2025
- Politics
- The Guardian
White House targets Harvard again with social media screening of all foreign visitors to school
The Trump administration has ordered US consulates worldwide to conduct mandatory social media screening of every visa applicant seeking to travel to Harvard University, with officials instructed to view private accounts as potential signs of 'evasiveness'. A state department cable signed by the US secretary of state, Marco Rubio, and dated Friday, obtained by the Guardian, requires immediate enhanced vetting of all Harvard-bound students, faculty, staff, speakers and other visitors as part of what officials describe as a pilot program that could expand to other universities. The policy takes effect immediately at all US embassies and consulates. The directive is an unprecedented targeting of a single American institution and the latest attempt to single out the US's oldest university over alleged failures to combat campus antisemitism. It also comes as the administration has attempted to freeze visa interviews for all foreign students nationwide. The cable was first reported by Politico. Consular officers must now refuse Harvard visa applications until fraud prevention units complete 'comprehensive and thorough vetting' of applicants' entire online presence. Officials are also instructed to view private social media accounts or a limited online presence as potentially 'reflective of evasiveness' that calls into question the applicant's credibility. The cable explicitly links the enhanced screening to concerns that 'Harvard University failed to maintain a campus environment free from violence and antisemitism', citing information from the Department of Homeland Security. It aims to identify applicants with 'histories of antisemitic harassment and violence'. The state department did not respond to a request for comment. The policy builds on Trump's antisemitism executive order, which the president signed in January, describing the scenario as an 'unprecedented wave of vile antisemitic discrimination, vandalism and violence', linked to the Hamas attacks on Israel on 7 October 2023 and the subsequent lopsided war in Gaza with more than 50,000 killed. The measures significantly escalate existing screening that has primarily targeted students who participated in pro-Palestinian campus protests. Since March, state department officials have conducted mandatory social media reviews of returning students, taking screenshots of 'potentially derogatory' content for permanent records. Rubio told senators last week his department has revoked visas 'probably in the thousands at this point', up from more than 300 reported in March. The visa restrictions threaten to compound existing challenges facing higher education institutions already experiencing declining international enrollment. The Harvard directive comes as the Trump administration wages a broader confrontation with elite universities. The government has stripped Harvard of billions in research funding, entered dueling litigation with the Cambridge, Massachusetts, institution and briefly suspended its ability to enroll international students before a federal judge blocked the action. More than 1 million foreign students study in the US, contributing nearly $43.8bn to the economy and supporting over 378,000 jobs, according to Nafsa. The administration's expanded screening requirements could severely delay visa processing across the sector. The cable indicated the Harvard pilot 'will be expanded over time' and similar enhanced vetting could be applied to 'other groups of visa applicants as appropriate'.
CNN
30-05-2025
- Business
- CNN
Live updates: Trump administration news on tariffs
Update: Date: Title: Trump says he will appear with Elon Musk during an Oval Office event today Content: President Donald Trump announced yesterday on social media that he will have an event from the Oval Office with tech billionaire Elon Musk on today. 'I am having a Press Conference (Friday) at 1:30 P.M. EST, with Elon Musk, at the Oval Office. This will be his last day, but not really, because he will, always, be with us, helping all the way. Elon is terrific! See you tomorrow at the White House.' Trump wrote on Truth Social. Musk was granted special government employee status to lead the Department of Government Efficiency. He said Wednesday that his time in the Trump administration has come 'to an end.' Update: Date: Title: State Department spokesperson says pause on new student visa appointments will not be indefinite Content: State Department spokesperson Tammy Bruce said the pause on new appointments for student and exchange visas will not continue indefinitely and suggested they could reopen 'perhaps sooner than later.' The State Department on Tuesday ordered all embassies and consulates worldwide to suspend the new appointments as they prepare to expand social media screening and vetting. The diplomatic cable Tuesday noted that they expected guidance on that policy to be issued 'in the coming days.' Asked by CNN if appointments would reopen immediately when that guidance is issued, Bruce said she couldn't say it would be immediate. 'Right now, there might be delay, and what I'm told to encourage people to do is to regularly check to see when those spaces open,' she said. 'I would not be recommending that if this was going to be weeks or months,' she said at a State Department briefing yesterday. 'I can't tell you immediately after some indeterminate moment of an action, but I can tell you that is something that would happen, perhaps sooner than later,' Bruce said. Update: Date: Title: Vance says he will miss Musk, who is "entitled to have his opinions" Content: Vice President JD Vance on Thursday reflected on his relationship with Elon Musk, calling the tech billionaire a 'very good friend' and defended his continued influence on the administration, even as Musk has begun to step back and focus on his businesses. 'Elon has become a very good friend, really, over the campaign, and certainly over his time in Washington,' Vance said during an interview on Newsmax Thursday night. 'He and his kids have come over to our house, and, you know, had dinner with our kids, so I'm very close to him.' When asked about Musk's recent criticism of Trump's 'big, beautiful bill,', Vance said 'Elon is entitled to have his opinions about the function of government.' But was quick to reaffirm his own support for the legislation. 'I still think the big, beautiful bill is the way to go,' Vance said. Vance also praised the tech billionaire's efforts in his role leading the Department of Government Efficiency. The vice president then pushed back on media narratives suggesting Musk's influence in Washington is fading. 'There's also an effort by the media to sort of say the Elon era is over, and I think that's actually totally wrong,' Vance said. 'Elon will continue to be an important advisor for both me and the president.' Vance emphasized that the administration's push for government reform, a cause Musk helped shape, will move forward. 'The job of making the government more efficient, of not wasting people's money, that has to continue. I think it's one of the most important mandates that we got from the American people,' Vance said. Update: Date: Title: Trump told Fed Chair in private meeting he was 'making a mistake by not lowering rates," White House says Content: President Donald Trump on Thursday met with Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell and relayed his view that the Fed should cut interest rates, according to White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt. 'The president did say that he believes the Fed chair is making a mistake by not lowering interest rates, which is putting us at an economic disadvantage to China and other countries,' Leavitt said. Powell met with Trump at the White House 'at the President's invitation,' the Federal Reserve said in a statement. 'Chair Powell did not discuss his expectations for monetary policy, except to stress that the path of policy will depend entirely on incoming economic information and what that means for the outlook,' the Fed said in its statement. Remember: The meeting comes after months of unrelenting attacks from Trump against Powell over the Fed's refusal to cut rates. The president has called Powell a 'fool' and 'a major loser,' while also saying that the Fed chief's termination 'cannot come fast enough.' Still, last month, Trump said he had 'no intention of firing' the beleaguered Fed Chair, despite suggestions he was considering it.
